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ADJ
徒勞的;無效的;不成功的
A vain attempt or action is one that fails to achieve what was intended.
例句
The drafting committee worked through the night in a vain attempt to finish on schedule...
起草委員會為按計劃完成草案已通宵加班，但結果仍是徒勞。
I was singing in a vain effort to cheer him up.
我唱歌試圖讓他高興起來，結果是白費力氣。
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ADJ
徒然的;無望的
If you describe a hope that something will happen as a vain hope, you mean that there is no chance of it happening.
例句
He married his fourth wife, Susan, in the vain hope that she would improve his health.
他娶了第四個老婆蘇珊，徒然希望她能使他健康狀況好轉。
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ADJ-GRADED
自負的;虛榮的;自命不凡的
If you describe someone as vain, you are critical of their extreme pride in their own beauty, intelligence, or other good qualities.
例句
I think he is shallow, vain and untrustworthy.
我認為他淺薄虛榮，不可信任。
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PHRASE
徒勞;白費力氣
If you do something in vain, you do not succeed in achieving what you intend.
例句
He stopped at the door, waiting in vain for her to acknowledge his presence...
他在門口停住，徒然地等待她和自己打招呼。
It became obvious that all her complaints were in vain.
很明顯她所有的抱怨都是白費口舌。
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PHRASE
無用的;無意義的;無價值的
If you say that something such as someone's death, suffering, or effort was in vain, you mean that it was useless because it did not achieve anything.
例句
He wants the world to know his son did not die in vain.
他想讓全世界都知道，他的兒子不是白白死去的。